Imagine Dragons' free All-Star show tickets go fast, frustrating fans

Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons performs during the band's March 12, 2014, concert at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. (Pioneer Press: John Autey)

Fans, and scalpers, snatched up about 25,000 free tickets to see Imagine Dragons' July 12 All-Star Week concert, soon after the tickets were offered online Thursday morning.

Frustrated folks who didn't score tickets for the TCF Bank Stadium concert took to social media to complain about a sluggish, sometimes non-responsive website as well as the scalpers already attempting to sell the free tickets via Craigslist and other online outlets. Local hip-hop group Atmosphere, set to open for Imagine Dragons, used Twitter to urge fans not to pay for tickets: "It is not worth it. We will play again soon. Do not support scalpers."

A spokeswoman for Major League Baseball released a statement that acknowledged the "extremely high demand for tickets" to see the concert, which will kick off All-Star Week: "A relatively small number of fans have chosen to put their free seats on the secondary market, which Major League Baseball and the Twins have no control over. While (it's) unfortunate some people have opted to offer their free tickets for sale, we are confident the vast majority of fans who did receive tickets will enjoy this free show."

Additional tickets will be given away by local radio stations and the band Atmosphere, the spokeswoman added.

Pop music critic Ross Raihala can be reached at 651-228-5553. Follow him at Twitter.